In the spring of 2011, the Media Co-op will publish a special issue of the Dominion. Thousands of copies will be distributed to dozens of communities across the country.

What topic will it cover? We asked for your proposals, and you sent in quite a few. The following is our short list of the proposals that are most likely to be successful, given the capacities of the Co-op.

Proposals that didn't make the cut can be found under the "honourable mentions" option. If you feel that one of those deserves a second chance, rate "honourable mentions" high and note which one you think needs to be considered with a comment.

In the end, a special issue committee will take the ratings and the comments here into consideration when they make a decision about the special issue topic. Topics with lots of support will be much more likely to be chosen, so choose well.

Voting is open to all participants in the Media Co-op. To create an account or log in, click here.

Voting closes at midnight Wednesday, Nov. 24th.

Options

The current perceived need to develop the North as quickly as possible, to extract all resources while unsettled treaty claims still exist, the mackenzie gas pipeline, off shore drilling in the beaufort sea, the northern passage no longer being frozen, international interests in the high arctic waterways, CanNor initiatives, Taltson Hydro Expansion, climate change, food security, changes to the environmental regulatory regime, devolution, missing caribou herds, caribou hunting bans, transboundary mega-uranium open pit mining projects, protecting the thelon, protecting the peel river watershed, protecting Tsan'kui Theda, protecting the watersheds in the north from the tar sands poison, northern social issues like poverty, etc.

This issue would discuss the failures of western-style electoral politics in creating real, participatory democracy. Although there may be room to include a historical and international analysis, the federal, provincial and municipal systems in Canada would serve as the primary case study.

This special issue will address the question of migration in the 21st century, and how Canada plays a significant role in this process. This question reaches a variety of levels: international, national and local. More broadly, this issue would discuss the causes of migration in the current context, how historical colonialism is linked to nations being in a position of “sending” or “receiving” migrants

As Canada’s health care costs continue to raise the question of equality and efficiency still remains. How to ensure affordable, efficient and effective health care for all is an important question many Canadians are struggling with especially with Canada’s aging population.

The global climate crisis is being used as a weapon to entrench the existing inequalities and strengthen existing centers of power. Social movements have worked swiftly to develop ways of addressing climate change that strengthen communities struggles, confront power structures and advance a vision of self-determination and equality. A special issue on Climate Justice would profile community struggles with fossil fuel infrastructure within Canada (and some of the most inspiring examples abroad), examine Canada's climate diplomacy, critically analyse the existing ENGO approach to climate change, and look at the emergence of international movements for climate justice.